Construction of a system of categories for lists

ABSTRACT

The invention is concerned with lists (directories, yellow pages and the like). At present, identical or closely related real categories are often named in the lists using single and mutually different names. The categories are created mostly by random, without using some formal system. That is why large number of categories is created and the categories overlap.  
     Moreover the relations between categories are chosen more or less by random, while nearly any two categories can have relation to each other in principle. Following this, enormous number of categories relations are created. And because of large number of categories and categories relations it is difficult to insert the records into the lists and to search the desired records in the lists. From this reason the search engines become more popular than the lists.  
     The new solution, suggested in the invention, creates the categories based on these requirements:  
     one to one function between real categories and word categories  
     categories are as broad as possible  
     categories do not overlap  
     The method to construct the categories comprises:  
     constructing of word categories as sets of related words (e.g. the ,,Apparatus and Appliances and Devices” category)  
     defining fixed categories as general categories applicable to most other categories (e.g. the ,,Production and Manufacture and Making and Fabrication” category)  
     constructing free categories by selecting all categories which are not fixed (e.g. the ,,Automotive and Vehicles” category)  
     placing said fixed categories in all of said free categories  
     constructing relations between said free categories  
     Using the suggested method, the categories do not much overlap, the number of categories and categories relations decreases, the insertion and searching of the records in the lists is simple.

FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a new method of constructingsystems of categories for lists (directories, yellow pages and thelike). Such lists may be stored on different media paper, computers,internet etc.

BACKGROUND

[0002] In existing lists, identical or closely related objects oractivities etc. are often named differently and, therefore, are placedin different categories. This creates too many categories and/oroverlapping categories on a large scale. It is often a problem for theusers of these lists to place records into the right categories or tofind the categories where the records they are searching are placed.

[0003] In lists, there is a great deal of interplay between superior andsubordinate categories. It is very difficult, if not impossible, tocheck for every category, and to determine which categories are insub-categories and which are not.

[0004] In existing lists, the subcategories of any given category arechosen more or less randomly (though based on the knowledge orexperience of the list authors). This causes a nonsystematic categorystructure and presents difficulties when inserting and searching recordsin such lists. Some examples of closely related categories on the samelevel with different names are the following:

[0005] Apparatus, Appliances, Devices

[0006] Drafting, Projecting, Constructing

[0007] Production, Manufacture, Making, Fabrication

[0008] Sale, Buy, Shops, Stores, Shopping, Retail

[0009] Sea, Ocean, Marine, Maritime, Naval, Nautical

[0010] Shopping Centers, Supermarkets, Hypermarkets, Megamarkets, Marts

[0011] Software, Programs

[0012] Examples of related categories having a superior-subordinaterelation are the following:

[0013] Art—Film—Actors

[0014] Computers—Software—Databases—Programming Languages

[0015] Internet—WWW—Hosting—Companies

[0016] Vehicles—Cars—Sale

[0017] On the one hand, there exist real categories in the surroundingworld. These are sets of subjects, objects, activities, organizations,people, animals, things, etc. Examples of categories from these sets arewomen, cars, production, reading, hospitals, doctors, dogs, and keys.

[0018] On other hand, there are word categories, i.e. words which name,define, or describe these real categories. The existing method ofcategorization creates categories with single words. This is animprecise method since there are often more words which are required toproperly identify and define a category. For example, the real category,which is composed of producing activities, is projected into the wordcategories “Production”, “Manufacture”, “Making”, “Fabrication”.

[0019] There is no exact method of constructing the superior-subordinatecategories.

[0020] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to constructsystems of categories for lists, in which it is very simple to placerecords into the right categories and to find the right categories,where the searched items are placed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The systems of categories should comply with the followingrequirements to the extent possible:

[0022] 1. One-to-one function between real categories and wordcategories (i.e. word categories will cover all real categories); seeFIG. 1 for good one-to-one function and FIG. 2 for bad one-to-onefunction

[0023] 2. Categories are as broad as possible (i.e. number of categoriesis small)

[0024] 3. Categories do not overlap (i.e., with respect to requirement1, the number of categories is large)

[0025] Since we are primarily concerned with real categories, theserequirements may not always be fulfilled. We have finite number of wordcategories available to work with in what could be an infinite number ofcategories. And the requirements 2. and 3. are contradictory.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026]FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the correspondence betweenreal categories and sets of words for a correct representation; and

[0027]FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the correspondence betweenreal categories and sets of words for an incorrect representation.

[0028]FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the correspondence betweenreal categories and word categories used in old methods; the wordcategories are named by single words.

[0029]FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the correspondencebetweenreal categories and word categories in suggested new method; theword categories are named by sets of words.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

[0030] 1. Word Categories Sets Method

[0031] Disclaimer (Definition):

[0032] Word categories are not single words. Word categories are sets ofwords.

[0033] In the Word Categories Sets Method the word categories are notwords and the projection is not from real categories into single words.

[0034] Instead:

[0035] We define word categories to be sets of words. These sets containwords with identical or similar content. The real categories areprojected into these sets of words.

[0036] As names of these word categories (sets) we use:

[0037] the most significant word of the category

[0038] selected words from the category

[0039] all words from the category.

Examples

[0040] The real category, which consists of various functionalinstruments such as mobile phones, calculators, tape measure, etc isprojected into the word category which is the set {Apparatus,Appliances, Devices}.

[0041] The real category, which consists of activities, which producesomething is projected into the word category: {Production,Manufacturing, Making, Fabrication}.

[0042] The real category, which concerns seas and oceans is projectedinto the word category: {Sea, Ocean, Marine, Maritime, Naval, Nautical}.

[0043] When we choose the most significant word to name the category,the word categories in the examples above will be named:

[0044] Apparatus

[0045] Production

[0046] Sea

[0047] When we choose some words from the word category to name thiscategory, the word categories in the examples above will be named e.g.:

[0048] Apparatus and Devices

[0049] Production and Manufacturing

[0050] Sea and Ocean.

[0051] When we choose all the words from the word category to name thiscategory, the word categories in examples above will be named:

[0052] Apparatus and Appliances and Devices

[0053] Production and Manufacturing and Making and Fabrication

[0054] Sea and Ocean and Marine and Maritime and Naval and Nautical.

[0055] Projection of real categories into word categories is illustratedin FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 illustrates the old methods, FIG. 4 illustratesthe new Word Categories Sets Method.

[0056] Fulfillment of Requirements

[0057] The Word Categories Sets Method helps to fulfill the threerequirements stated above for the construction of categories for lists.Using the Word Categories Sets Method it is possible to choose thecategories in a better way. The projection from real categories into theword categories is nearly a one-to-one function. The categories arebroad and there is very little overlap.

EXAMPLE

[0058] The old method uses separate categories for Production,Manufacturing. Production may be a subcategory of the category Film orPharmacy. Manufacturing may be a subcategory of the category Cars,Motors, Toys.

[0059] The Word Categories Sets Method uses the category Production andManufacturing as a sub-category of the category Films, as a sub-categoryof the category Cars and as a subcategory of any other superiorcategories, where is something produced.

[0060] More Examples of Word Categories, as Used in a List, Constructedby the Word Categories Sets Method

[0061] Design and Drafting and Projecting and Constructing

[0062] Distribution and Wholesale and Manufacturing Representation

[0063] Education and Study and Training

[0064] Manipulation and Handling and Loading

[0065] Natural and Organic and Sustainable and Ecofriendly

[0066] Registration and Licencing and Accreditation

[0067] Security and Safety and Safe

[0068] Trade and Merchandise

[0069] Types and Kinds and Species and Genres and Platforms

[0070] 2. Fixed and Free Categories Method

[0071] Disclamer (Definition):

[0072] When constructing a relation between superior and subordinatecategories, we do not need to consider all category—category pairs.Instead we consider primarily Free Category—Fixed Category pairs, whereFixed Categories is a defined (and limited in number) subset ofcategories.

[0073] The Word Categories Sets Method helps to fulfill the threerequirements above. However, it works only for the categoriesthemselves, without considering the relationship between superior andsubordinate categories. Once we have constructed categories using theWord Categories Sets Method, we are faced with the problem of how todefine the structure of the list, i.e. to construct the tree ofcategories. In principle, nearly any two categories can be in asuperior-subordinate relationship.

[0074] Examples

[0075] The category Keys is a subordinate category of the categoriesHardware, Software.

[0076] The category Sheets is a subordinate category of the categoriesTrees, Books.

[0077] The category Wheels is a subordinate category of the categoriesCars, Watches, Trains.

[0078] Procedure

[0079] The number of categories constructed using the Word CategoriesSets Method is about 5000. It is possible that be each Category relatesto every other Category. This creates large number of relationships,app. 5000×5000=25 000 000. We must consider these relationships. Thiscan be mastered neither by persons nor by computers (computers are quickbut semantics is not a well established property of them).

[0080] That is why I have found the Fixed and Free Categories Method toreduce the number of mutual categories relations to be considered.

[0081] The categories are divided into two types:

[0082] Fixed Categories (typically activities)

[0083] Free Categories (typically subjects and objects)

[0084] Fixed Categories are common categories, which may occur assubordinate in many (nearly all) other categories. These are usuallyactivities which are performed within the given superior categories.

[0085] Free Categories are the rest of categories, which are usuallysubordinated only to some small number of categories.

[0086] Simply said when the category is not Fix Category then it is FreeCategory.

[0087] The Principle of the Fixed and Free Categories Method is:

[0088] To find all subcategories of a category, we must first examinethe Fixed Categories. It is only then that we consider (from ourexperience) the Free Categories to construct own Subcategories andRelated Categories to the given category.

[0089] A reasonable category system should have approximately 25 FixedCategories and 5000 Free Categories. The number of relationships whichmust be considered is therefore 25×5000=125000.

[0090] This a substantially lower number when compared with the 25000000associations which must be considered in the old method. The 125000number of possible realationships is acceptable and workable, althoughstill time consuming.

[0091] Each Fixed Category can figure practically in all Free Categoriescontra all Free Categories being created partly from those universalFixed Categories, and partly from their own Subcategories and RelatedCategories.

[0092] Each Fixed Category contains one universal subcategory, the nameof which is ,,This Category in-for all Categories”. This universalsubcategory contains all categories, where the Fixed Category occurs(where the Activity is performed or accepted).

[0093] Each Free Category contains one universal subcategory, the nameof which is ,,Activities and Pasivities in-for this Category”. Thisuniversal subcategory contains all Activities and Pasivities, which areperformed or accepted in the Free Category.

Examples

[0094] Fixed Category names

[0095] Books

[0096] Consulting and Couseling

[0097] Design and Drafting and Projecting and Constructing

[0098] Distribution and Wholesale and Manufacturingrs Representation

[0099] Journals and Magazines

[0100] Publishing

[0101] Production and Manufacturing and Making and Fabrication

[0102] Sale and Shops and Stores and Shopping and Retail and Dealing

[0103] Software and Programming

[0104] Storages and Storing

[0105] Free Categories names

[0106] Agriculture and Agricultural

[0107] Automotive and Vehicles

[0108] Aviation and Aerial

[0109] Bicycles

[0110] Construction and Building

[0111] Fashion

[0112] Food and Drink

[0113] Jewellery

[0114] Glass and Glassware

[0115] Porcelain and Pottery and China

[0116] Trains and Railroads

[0117] Welding

[0118] Fixed Category Definition

[0119] Superior Category:

[0120] Commerce and Business and Economy

[0121] Fixed Category Defined:

[0122] Design and Drafting and Projecting and Constructing

[0123] Subcategories of the Category Defined:

[0124] Aeroplanes

[0125] Apparel and Clothing

[0126] Automotive and Vehicles

[0127] Boats

[0128] Cars

[0129] Computers

[0130] Construction and Building

[0131] Exteriors and Exterior

[0132] Fashion

[0133] Furniture

[0134] Glass and Glassware

[0135] Home and Apartment and House

[0136] Industry and Industrial

[0137] Interiors and Interior

[0138] Machines and Machinery

[0139] Motorcycles

[0140] Paper and Paperware

[0141] Porcelain and China

[0142] Sailboats

[0143] Ships

[0144] Tools and Implements

[0145] Trains and Railroads

[0146] Windows and Shutters

[0147] WWW

[0148] Yachts

[0149] Thinks

[0150] Toys

[0151] Free Category Definition

[0152] This example describes how a Free Category is completed fromFixed Categories and Free Categories, that are both Sub-Categories ofthe Free Category.

[0153] Without sign ,,/”=>>Free SubCategory

[0154] With one sign ,,/”=>>Fixed SubCategory

[0155] With two signs ,,//”=>>Related Category

[0156] Remark:

[0157] Related category are word categories, the content of which issemantically near to the concerned category. E.g. the category Tractorsis related to the category Automotive.

[0158] Superior Category:

[0159] Commerce and Business and Economy

[0160] Free Category Defined:

[0161] Automotive

[0162] Subcategories of the Category:

[0163] /Advertisement

[0164] Aagriculture and Agricultural/Automotive and Vehicles

[0165] Airports/Automotive and Vehicles

[0166] Airstream/Automotive and Vehicles

[0167] /Alternative Fuel/Automotive and Vehicles

[0168] Ambulance/Automotive and Vehicles

[0169] Amphibian/Automotive and Vehicles

[0170] Animals and Zoology/Automotive and Vehicles

[0171] /Apparatus and Appliances and Devices

[0172] /Armored/Automotive and Vehicles

[0173] ATV (All Terrain Vehicles)

[0174] /Automation

[0175] /Books

[0176] /Booksellers

[0177] Buses

[0178] Cars

[0179] /Consulting and Couseling

[0180] /Classics and Clasical/Cars

[0181] /Design and Projecting and Constructing

[0182] /Distribution and Wholesale and Manufacturingrs Representation

[0183] Driving Permits

[0184] /Education and Study and Training

[0185] /Equipment and Supply

[0186] Fires and Firemen/Automotive and Vehicles

[0187] Funerals/Automotive and Vehicles

[0188] /Governing

[0189] /Heavy/Automotive and Vehicles

[0190] Hovercrafts

[0191] /Images and Pictures

[0192] /Journals and Magazines

[0193] Limousines and Shuttles

[0194] Lorries

[0195] //Mopeds and Motor Bikes

[0196] Motorcycles

[0197] /Motors and Engines/Automotive and Vehicles

[0198] Parking

[0199] /Parts anc Components and Accessories

[0200] Passenger Cars

[0201] /Police/Automotive and Vehicles

[0202] /Production and Manufacturing and Making and Fabrication

[0203] /Propulsion

[0204] /Production and Manufacturing and Making and Fabrication

[0205] /Publishing

[0206] /Radio

[0207] /Research and Exploration and Surveying and Experiments andDevelopment

[0208] RV (Recreational Vehicles)

[0209] /Sale and Shops and Stores and Shopping and Retail and Dealing

[0210] //Scooters

[0211] Snowmobils

[0212] /Software and Programming

[0213] /Special and Specialty

[0214] /Storages and Storing

[0215] Street Sweepers

[0216] /Television

[0217] Tires

[0218] /Tools and Implements

[0219] /Toys

[0220] Towing/Automotive and Vehicles

[0221] Trailers

[0222] //Tractors

[0223] //Trains

[0224] //Trikes

[0225] Trucks

[0226] Utility Cars

[0227] /Veteran/Automotive and Vehicles

I claim:
 1. A method for constructing systems of categories, comprising:(a) constructing word categories as sets of related words; (b) definingfixed categories as general categories applicable to most othercategories; (c) constructing free categories by selecting all categorieswhich are not fixed; (d) placing said fixed categories in all of saidfree categories; and (e) constructing relations between said freecategories.